


Watch

by chaoticaverage



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - Champions of the Just, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Nightmares, Pre-Relationship, Therinfal Redoubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:07:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26436934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoticaverage/pseuds/chaoticaverage
Summary: A short piece working through Anna Trevelyan's reaction to the envy demon's vision during Champions of the Just.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Trevelyan, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Kudos: 10





	Watch

_ “Watch.” The envy demon sneered with Leliana’s face.  _

_ Anna screamed and lunged forward as a knife pulled across Cullen’s throat. His body hit the ground with a thud and a clatter of metal that sounded all together too loud. She dropped to her knees with a guttural cry and grabbed for the wound, attempting to apply pressure. She heard an unfamiliar voice in the back of her mind: “Love unspoken, not time, never time, a golden sun in a winter storm, safe awake, not real, keep going up, keep going up!” She tried to reason with herself: Not real, not real not real. This is a dream. Or the fade. Or...something. But she looked at her hands pressing into Cullen’s throat and she felt warm blood, she saw life fading from his eyes. She heard the wet gurgle as he tried to take one last breath. “Cullen! Please!”  _

_ The demon wearing Leliana’s face cackled. “You show me so much. You love your commander? How common. Does he love you back I wonder? Yes, this is your shape.”  _

_ “Stop these lies, demon!” she hissed, closing her eyes as if to will the blood from her hands. Not real, not real, not real.  _

_ The demon shifted and now wore Josephine’s face. “Being you will be so much more interesting than being the Lord Seeker.”  _

_ Anna snarled, leaping back to her feet and drawing her daggers, thrusting them towards the voice, hitting nothing but empty air.  _

_ “I am not your toy, I am Envy, and I will know you.” Cullen’s voice echoed behind her. She ground her teeth together. Not real, not real, not real. “Tell me, Herald, in your mind, tell me what you  _ **_think_ ** _.” The Cullen-demon appeared in front of her, suddenly flanked by a nightmarish copy of herself. He grinned and thrust a knife into her back. Anna flinched instinctively, watching a version of herself crumple to the ground. When she looked back, Cullen was standing over the war table. “Tell me what you feel,” he said with a sickening snarl. She grimaced. Words she may have hoped to hear from him were now poisoned by demonic intent. A twinge of regret bubbled in her throat, that she hadn’t told him...something....sooner. She couldn’t quite tell him that she had fallen in love with him the first time she saw him on the battlefield, and that his presence mere presence made her feel grounded and capable. But she could have told him something so that he’d know that she cared. Now what, would he hear it from this demon’s lips? Would a creature wearing her face toy with him, use him? She shuddered.  _

_ Anna shook her head. “You will not have me!” The apparition vanished with a cruel laugh on the air.  _

***

Anna’s consciousness rushed back into her body and she stumbled forward, following the momentum of what had been the Lord Seeker pulling her forward. Now in his place, she saw a horrific creature screeching and running away. Her legs buckled, and she dropped to one knee, flattening her palm against the stone as if to reassure herself it--or she--was real. She was panting, clutching her hands into fists so hard that her nails broke skin. Images ran behind her eyes at rapid speed-- _ The inquisition, taking over. An army of demons. The empress assassinated. Her friends caged. Cullen-- _ Her breath hitched and panic encased her heart.  _ Cullen, bleeding, throat cut, on the ground. Bloody hands. My bloody hands _ . She gasped, feeling as if she couldn’t breathe, and wondering if she had awoken only to die, when she felt warm hands grabbing her shoulder. “Inquisitor? Anna!” a voice bellowed. A man’s voice.  _ Cullen’s voice _ . Her eyes snapped up and she drank in the sight of him.  _ Furrowed brow, concerned eyes, a frowning mouth that smiles so beautifully. Golden curls. Cullen. _ Anna exhaled and gripped covered his hand with hers. “You’re alive.” He looked confused, yet helped her up. “What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I be?” He was worried. He hadn’t removed his hand. “You--you died. The demon it...I saw…” Anna shook her head, looking away, trying to sort dream from reality. Her breath was shaky. Cullen brought his free hand to her cheek. She looked up, and saw that his gaze had softened. A knowing look she could not explain in hazel eyes met hers. “It’s okay. It wasn’t real. I’m real, I’m right here, I’m okay.” Anna nodded.  _ Real _ . 

***

The ride back to Haven was somber. They had been successful, had promised the remaining templars an alliance, and by all measure should be celebrating. Yet, it was bittersweet. Many lives had been lost. The discovery of the so-called “red templars” had shaken everyone. When they stopped to camp, everyone was uncharacteristically quiet, and where there was often laughter and drink, most went to bed without much more than small talk. 

_ “Watch.” _

Anna woke up in the middle of the night, screaming and drenched in sweat.  _ Where am I? Am I dreaming?  _ She frantically scanned her surroundings. She was in a tent--her tent? She heard the canvas rustle, and the front flap started to lift. She grabbed the tagger she kept tucked under her bedroll and crawled to her knees, thrusting it towards the figure that started creeping into her tent. 

“Maker’s breath, Anna!” the sound of Cullen’s voice brought her vision into focus. Cullen raised his hands defensively and Anna’s face dropped into a shocked expression. 

“I’m--I’m so…” the dagger fell from her hand and she buried her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry.” She felt a hand on her back, as suddenly the space of her tent was full and warm body heat radiated through her side. 

“I apologize for the intrusion. I heard you scream and I--” he hesitated and looked away. “I know what it is to have your own mind used against you, your memories...twisted.” His tone softened and Anna shuddered into the comforting pressure of his forearm around her shoulders. She leaned ever so slightly into him and started to weep. “I can’t...Everytime I close my eyes I see…” she trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished. He lifted his chin, tucking her head in the crook of his neck. “It’s alright. It’s alright,” he murmured. Anna nodded.  _ Real _ . 


End file.
